Stair-rod.



no. 715,937. A Patenfed D60. |6, i902.

. F. s. ANDERSON.

STAIR ROD.

(Application filed May 17, 1902.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sh'e'et arwentoz fianZfJAndersom Q/vihmowo W G QW-I O fw' m 75,937. Patented Dec. l6, I902.

. F. s. ANDERSON.

STAIR ROD. (Aiaplicdtion filed May 17, 1902;, (NQMQdBL) 2 Sheets-Sheet2.

iv r 3 Q I *-AM I I 1 W K vlllllllllllllllllllllll auwenlioz 7 7FranZfiSiAndersqry Witnesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. -ANDERSON, OF EASTON MARYLAND.

STAIR-ROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,937, dated December16, 1902.

Application filed May 17, 1902. Serial No. 107,847. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK S. ANDERSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residin g at Easton, in the county of Talbot and State ofMaryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stair-Rods, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to stair-rods; and the primary object thereof isto produce a com bined stair-rod and carpet-fastener which willeffectually fasten the carpet in applied position against all liabilityof its becoming displaced and which is highly artistic in appearance, ischeap, durable, and efficient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this charactercapable of ad'- justment to permit it to be applied to stairrequiredrigidity to render the device sufti-.

ways having risers ofvarying heights.

Astill further object is to provide improved means for locking thecombined stair-rod and carpet-fastener in applied position.

It will be apparent that I have further objects in viewother thantheones above enumerated, as the nature of the invention is more fullyunderstood from the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The invention consists in the construction, combinations, andarrangements of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a stairwayequipped with a carpet held in applied position by devices of myimproved construction. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a combinedstair-rod and carpet-fastener embodying one form of my invention. Fig. 3is a perspective view of the adjustable hinge-section. Fig. 4c is a planview of the latch. Fig. 5 is a plan view of my improved device,involving a slight modi fication. Fig. 6 is a plan View of one of themembers, involving a further modification. Fig. 7 is a plan view of astill further modified form of my improved device. Fig. 8 is a plan viewof a further modification of one of the members.

1 and 2 designate the upper and lower members of the device hingedlyconnected and which may be constructed of any suitable material,preferably of wire, possessing the ciently strong for the purpose of itsapplication.

The device is adapted to be applied in parallel relation with the riserof a stairway, placing the upper and lower ends thereof in contact withthe carpet to bind the same against the under side of the projectingportion of the tread and against the upper surface of the adjacent treadat a point near the riser, respectively, thereby securing the carpet inapplied position. The members when constructed of wire are formed fromsingle strands of such material, which are bent upon themselves toprovide elongated loops 3 and 4, comprising outer and inner horizontalbars '3 and 4", respectively, and the ends of which are adapted toengage and retain the carpet in position, as above described. The freeends of the strands are thence extended at right angles to the loops inparallel relation to provide links 5 and 6, which when hingedlyconnected provide a stair-rod and carpet-fastener of a width a littlegreater than the height of the average riser. The link 5 has the freeends thereof disposed at right angles thereto and in opposite directionsto provide pintles 7, and the free ends of the links 6 are formed intohinge barrels 8 for the reception of the pintles 7, hingedly connectingthe two members, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. The links are oflsetor slightly curved adjacent the loops to place the links at an acuteangle with relation to the loops, consequently throwing the hingeout ofvertical alinement with the loops when the device is in appliedposition, whereby all liability of the device collapsing is obviated. Inorder to retain the portions of the strands constituting the links inproper position to retain the contour of the loops and therelative'positions of the hingebarrels and pintles, I provide the linkswith metallic sleeves or serve the same with wire, as at 9 and 10 inFig. 5, respectively, or twist the said portions of the strands oneabout the other, as shown at 11 in Fig. 6, each manner The specificforms above enumerated I have found to be advantageous for the purpose,but do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as othermeans may be provided within the scope of my invention.

The application of the device may be explained as follows: The devicebeing of a greater width than the height of the average riser, it isnecessary to bend the members upon their hinge to the position shown inFig. 2 to place the bars 3 beneath the under side of projecting portionof the tread and upon the upper surface of the adjacent tread, and inorder to clamp and retain the carpet in position the hinge is forcedinward toward the riser beyond the vertical alinement of the loops andin which position of the hinge the device is prevented from collapsing.The inward movement of the hinge is permitted through the virtue of thespring quality of the wire from which the device is constructed,consequently permitting the bar 4 to give away under pressure of thelevers, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

It may be found advantageous to provide the device with locking means toobviate any liability of the same becoming displaced as a result ofgreat strain placed upon the carpet, which has a tendency to pull thecarpet away from riser, consequently displacing the device. The lockingmeans consists of a latch 14, in the form of a disk, fulcrumed upon thelink 5 and provided with a cam-slot 15, adapted to engage a bolt 16,carried by the link 6, thereby holding the links in their relativepositions when the device is in use.

In Figs. 2 and 3 means are shown for rendering the device adjustable,wherebyit may be made applicable to stairways provided with risers ofvarying heights. The link 6 is in this instance provided with anadjustable hinge-section 17, which is struck up from a single piece ofmetal and is provided at its upper end with hinge-barrels 18 for thereception of the pintles 7, hingedly and adjustably connecting themembers. The hingesection is also provided on one side thereof withsleeves 19, adapted to embrace the portions of the wires forming thelink to slidably and adjustably mou nt the hinge-section thereon. A slot20 is formed in the face of the hinge-section,through which extends thehead of a binding-screw 21, adapted to secure the hinge-section upon thepintle in its adjusted position. The bolt in this construction of theinvention is secured to the hinge-section at a point to be readilyengaged by the latch irrespective of the position the hinge-section iscaused to assume upon the link 6.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of myinvention having the bar 3 ofthe loop 3 provided with depending guides 22, adapted to direct the bar4 in its movement when the latter is bent under pressure of the linkswhen securing the device in applied position, and the bar 3 of the loop4 is flattened to provide the device with a firm support to obviate anyliability of the loop 4 moving when applying the device. This figurealso shows the manner of serving and providing the links with collarsfor the purpose above described.

Fig. 6 illustrates the loop3 of myinvention having the bar 3 providedwith the corrugated surface and the portions forming the link 5 twistedone about the other for the purposes fully set forth above.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a further modification of my invention involvingthe adjustable feature and in which form the links 5 and 6 are dispensedwith and in their stead substituted a pair of connecting-levers 23,pivotally secured at their opposite ends to the loops 3 and 4, wherebythe members are connected to have a vertical movement with relation toeach other. The levers are provided with a plurality of aliningperforations 24:, each of which is pivotally and adjustably connectedthrough the medium of a bolt 25, which may be moved from one series ofperforations to the other to adjust the width of the device toaccommodate for risers of varying heights. The lower levers are providedat a point adjacent their upper ends With laterally-projecting stops 26,adapted to engage the outer edge of the upper levers to limit theirinward movement upon their pivots at a point beyond their vertical planeto obviate any liability of the levers casually turning in the reversedirection, as is clearly illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 7,consequently rendering it impossible for the device to collapse when inapplied position.

Fig. 8 discloses another manner of making the members, which consists informing each member of separate strands of wire forming the bars 3,having their outer ends curved, as at 27, to provide smooth ends toprevent abrasion of the carpet, and the inner ends of the strands arebent at right angles to form links 5 and then bent to form the pintles 7or the hinge-barrels 8. The strands are held in proper relation throughthe medium of a collar 28 embracing the portions thereof forming thelinks.

In order to give to the device a highly-artistic appearance, the samemay be nickleplated, and the latch 10 may have struck in relief thereonany suitable design.

It is obvious from the above description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, that I provide a combined stair-rod andcarpet-fastener which is readily and .quickly applied, will hold thecarpet in a neat manner in applied position, and which is cheap,durable, and eflicient.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membershavinga hinge connection.

2. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membersprovided with angularly-arranged links, and means for hingedlyconnecting the links.

3. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membersprovided with angularly-arranged links, and means for hingedly andadjustably connecting the links.

4. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising a pair ofhingedly-connected members, a bolt carried by one of the members, and alatch carried by the other member and adapted to engage the bolt,whereby the device is locked in applied position.

5. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising a pair of resilient loopmembers each constructed of a single strand of wire, and means forhingedly connecting the members.

6. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising a pair of members, pintlescarried by one of the members, and hinge-barrels adj ustably mountedupon the other member whereby the members are adjustably and hingedlyconnected.

7. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener com prising resilient loop membersprovided with links, pintles carried by one of the links, andhinge-barrels carried by the other link.

8. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membersprovided with angularly-arranged links, pintles carried by one of thelinks, and hinge-barrels adjustably mounted upon the other link andadapted to receive the pintles to hingedly and adj ustably connect themembers.

9. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membersprovided with angularly-arranged links, pint-les carried by one of thelinks, hinge-barrels adj ustably mounting members formed from strands ofwire also bent to provide links, means for securing the portionscomprising the links together, and means for hingedly connecting thelinks.

11. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membersformed from strands of wire also bent to provide angularly-arrangedlinks, the extremities of one of the links'being bent to form pintles,and hinge-barrels adjustably mounted upon the other link, and. adaptedto receive the pintles whereby the members are hingedly and adj ustablyconnected.

12. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener,comprisin g members formed fromstrands of wire also bent to provide angularly-arranged links, theextremities of the link portions being bent to form pintles andhinge-barrels, and means for securing the link portions together.

13. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membershingedly connected, and provided with guides.

14:. A stair-rod and carpet-fastener comprising resilient loop membershingedly connected and having guides and gripping surfaces upon theouter bars thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK S. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

O. B. NIcoLs, E. J. BIERY.

